Falco eleonorae -- Géné, 1839 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- -- Common names: Eleonora's Falcon; Faucon d'Eléonore European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

At both European and EU27 scales, although this species may have a small range it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations).

For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern within both Europe and the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; France; Greece; Italy; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Montenegro; Portugal; Serbia; Spain; Canary Is. (to ES); Turkey; Gibraltar (to UK) Vagrant: Denmark; Hungary; Poland; Sweden; United Kingdom Population The European population is estimated at 14,300-14,500 pairs, which equates to 28,700-29,100 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 14,300-14,400 pairs, which equates to 28,500-28,800 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology The species is fully migratory, leaving its Mediterranean breeding grounds in October and November to winter in Madagascar, East Africa and the Mascarene Islands. The return journey begins in late April and May (Orta and Kirwan 2014). are known to fly as high as 1,000 m during the breeding season (Snow and Perrins 1998). They are generally gregarious (though sometimes solitary), tending to move in small and loose flocks, and on migration often associating with other species flying at high altitudes, including F. subbuteo (Snow and Perrins 1998, Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). They hunt mainly at twilight (Orta and Kirwan 2014). Birds usually breed and stop over on small islands and islets, wintering mainly in open woodland on Madagascar. It feeds on large flying and small birds. Birds in the holes and ledges of sea cliffs, or on the ground. Clutches are usually two or three eggs (Orta and Kirwan 2014). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands suitable breeding Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline suitable breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats The species has historically suffered from exploitation and persecution brought about by local people. Human disturbance associated with tourism development has also been shown to negatively influence birds’ breeding success (Orta and Kirwan 2014). by rats is also possibly important on some breeding islands (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). The species is vulnerable to the effects of potential wind energy development (Strix 2012). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial Past, Unlikely to Minority (<50%) Rapid Declines Past Impact (persecution/ Return control) Stresses Species mortality Energy production Renewable energy Timing Scope Severity Impact & mining Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact Declines Stresses Species mortality Human intrusions & Recreational Timing Scope Severity Impact disturbance activities Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact Declines Stresses Reduced reproductive success Invasive and other Unspecified rats Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic (Rattus spp.) Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact species, genes & Declines diseases Stresses Species mortality Conservation Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix II. CITES Appendix II. Bern Convention Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex I. In addition the species is protected by national laws in many countries within its range. An International Species Action Plan was published in 1999 (Ristow 1999) and was reviewed in 2010. A national action plan is established in Italy and regional action plans are in place in Spain. Monitoring programmes exist in most countries at a national level and in protected areas in Greece, Spain and Cyprus (Barov and Derhé 2010). Private research on the species has been conducted on an archipelago off Crete for three decades, in collaboration with the University of Heidelberg and the area became an SPA in 1997 (Ristow 1999). An EU LIFE Nature project, ‘Conservation measures for Falco eleonorae in Greece’ was set up in 2003, which met with much success performing the first ever global population census of Eleonora’s falcon, undertaking many public awareness campaigns, and reducing nest predation through rat eradication programmes (Hellenic Ornithological Society 2008).

Conservation Actions Proposed Effective actions to protect coastal areas should be implemented and Environmental Impact Assessments conducted on all developments in coastal areas. National and international coastal tourism policies should discourage the development of new resorts and favour environmentally friendly, sustainable tourism. Colonies should be protected by non-intrusion zones. Wintering areas and their ecological requirements and threats should be identified and protection implemented for these and areas of migration habitat. The impacts of rat predation should be investigated. Awareness of the species should be raised and the value of its habitat promoted (Barov and Derhé 2010). Bibliography Barov, B. & Derhé, M. (2010). Review of the implementation of species action plans of threatened birds in the European Union (2004-2010). Ferguson-Lees, J.; Christie, D. A. 2001. Raptors of the world. Christopher Helm, London. Hellenic Ornithological Society (2008). Conservation measures for Eleonora’s Falcon in Greece’. Orta, J. & Kirwan, G.M. (2014). Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.) (2014). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53228 on 16 March 2015). Ristow, D. (1999) International Species Action Plan: Eleonora’s Falcon, Falco eleonorae. BirdLife International, Cambridge. Available at: Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Strix. 2012. Developing and testing the methodology for assessing and mapping the sensitivity of migratory birds to wind energy development. BirdLife International, Cambridge Map (see overleaf)